Convicted murderer to serve 11 years before parole eligibility

Rose Marie Tremblay exits court Friday, August 29, 2014 during a break in Aidan David Cromwell's sentencing for the stabbing murder of her son, Marc Bernard Tremblay. (CHRISTIAN LAFORCE/Staff)

Preschooler Marla Lloyd was in her mother’s belly when her father Marc Bernard Tremblay was fatally stabbed on a Halifax sidewalk in 2012.

And Paulette Cromwell, the mother of the man who stabbed him — she lost one son to suicide in 2007 — lost another to prison on Friday.

At Nova Scotia Supreme Court on Friday, Justice Glen McDougall ordered Aidan David Cromwell to serve 11 years of his life sentence for second-degree murder before applying for parole. He could have set the figure anywhere from 10 to 25 years.

In March, a jury found the 20-year-old Halifax man guilty of murder.

Inside the courtroom gallery Friday, Cromwell’s mother, surrounded by supporters, sobbed uncontrollably throughout the hearing. Some of Tremblay’s family also cried.

Crown attorney Christine Driscoll, pointing out that Cromwell has a long-standing issue with drug use, asked the judge to set parole eligibility at 12-15 years, while defence lawyer Patrick MacEwen recommended the 10-year minimum.

Police found Tremblay, 25, at the corner of Ashdale Avenue and Titus Street in Halifax on Feb. 2, 2012, at about 11:40 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The trial heard that a heavily intoxicated Tremblay, who was walking with a friend, began following Cromwell and his girlfriend up Titus Street.

Tremblay was yelling “You suck” to the teenage couple, who were arguing.

Cromwell said he didn’t “have time for this” and removed a knife from his backpack, Tremblay’s friend testified.

“I’m going to shiv this (expletive),” Cromwell allegedly said, before charging at Tremblay with the knife.

He plunged it into Tremblay’s chest, piercing his heart and his liver. The blade broke off inside Tremblay.

He pursued Cromwell a short distance before collapsing and dying.

Halifax’s poet laureate, El Jones, also an inmates advocate and university professor, wrote a five-page letter to the court on Cromwell’s behalf.

In it, Jones, who first met Cromwell in June 2013, said in addition to mentoring and giving him advice on his poetry, she encouraged Cromwell to increase his vocabulary, to read the dictionary and other written works, and pay attention to the news.

“I can attest that Aidan is engaged in reading and critical work at a university level, including reading many difficult works of political and social science,” Jones wrote.

“He is committed … to taking educational programming, and with the correct supports, I believe he shows great academic potential.”

Jones said Cromwell has been able to make progress with his studies under difficult circumstances, despite suffering from ADHD.

She described him as a young man determined to overcome challenges and change his life.

The victim’s mother, Rose Marie Tremblay, told the court her son’s death has been life-altering.

“There is a void now and I will never be the same,” she said. The two lived together.

“Marla will never know her father personally,” the victim’s mother said. “She knows him because we talk about him and we have pictures. She will kiss his picture; she can pick out pictures of Marc when he was a young boy. She knows that is her daddy.”

Tearfully reading from his victim impact statement, Tremblay’s cousin, Darren Christopher Tobin, spoke of feeling angry and sad. He said that he hopes that everyone affected by this tragedy will be able to emotionally heal.

“With a large family comes many funerals but you can never expect something like this to happen,” Tobin said.

“You can’t plan for something like this. You can’t foresee the outcome for something like this and certainly can’t mentally prepare yourself for something like this. This one act destroyed not one, but two, families.”

As Tobin left the stand he addressed both Cromwell and his family.

“I’m really sorry for everything that happened and I hope you guys heal OK,” he said. “And to you, man, I hope you get the help that you need …. Take the time that you have to make yourself better.”

Tremblay’s mother got up and left the courtroom moments before Cromwell stood up to address the family. She returned once he was finished.

“I want to say I’m sorry for the pain I have caused and hope one day you will find it in your hearts to forgive me,” Cromwell told Tremblay’s family.

“I feel great pain for the impact it has had (on you) and I want to say to everyone (that) I’m sorry for that.

“It has also changed my life dramatically; I learned a lot from this experience. I’m going to continue to make changes in my life like I have been for the last two years.

“Once again, I would like to say I am sorry for your loss. I never meant for all this to happen.”